The Junk Industry Blues
by Hayden Days
Summary: Rukia is a broken girl, forced to support herself and another, she works in something that she will always regret. She will never be able to mend her scarring past, until by chance she mets an orange haired man that will change her life forever. MATURE!
1. Rats of Civilization

The Junk Industry Blues

Chapter 1: Rats of Civilization

* * *

Rukia laid still and limp, she felt nothing. Neither the thrusts nor her feelings, it was all the same. It was the only way she knew how to live. 

She was abandoned as a baby, tossed into a garbage dumpster as if some discarded carton of milk. She was picked out by some homeless woman who was looking for a meal, that was how her life started and ended.

The man held her legs as he pumped into her, Rukia didn't care she was useless. A wet tissue that slowly broke away into nothing. That was all she was ever going to be: nothing. The man bit his lips as sweat rolled down his red puffed face and Rukia stayed limp as he finished and left her body.

She slowly lifted herself up from the bed and waited for the man who was fumbling in his discarded pants, "The usual amount right, Ru-chan?"

She hated that name; it was the alias she created so that no one would ever know who and what she was. She gulped down the small trace of bile rising in her throat, "Yes."

He quickly stepped into his business suit, in a hurry to leave to escape the possibility of rumors arising. He handed her the money and before he stepped out of the door he looked over his shoulder, "If I want to—"

"You know who to talk to," Rukia interrupted him and watched out of the corner of her eye as the bulky man smiled bearing his yellow crocked teeth.

"Bye Ru-chan," the door closed quickly and the sounds of hurried footsteps filled the room.

Rukia scoffed, "Politicians."

Rukia got up from the bed and into the bathroom; she nimbly entered the shower and took a scorching hot shower to clean away the filth. She then looked around and found her dingy patched jeans and quickly pulled them over her bare legs. She than pulled her faded yellow shirt over her head and counted the money, "300 dollars."

That would only mean that she would be getting a hundred dollars for that night, Rukia pouted as she shoved the money in her back pocket. And took a glance around the room before leaving the hotel room and walking out into halls, out of the hotel and onto the crosswalk.

"At least I have enough money for food and rent," Rukia said as all the panic filled thoughts of expenses filled her mind. People elbowed and pushed their way around her, who cares, they didn't and she sure as hell didn't. Besides she was trash, a street rat with no purpose but to die.

The city of Tokyo was filled with trash, some collected cans, some just lie in alleys to die, but the worse of trash was ones that were like her. It wasn't as if she had a choice on whether or not she can sell her body, she was forced into it by the ones who abandoned her, by the ones who relied on her and by the man who _protects_ her.

Rukia walked down a dark and damp alley, taking careful care not to step on the scattered blades of glass with her thin wore down shoes. She climbed the fire escape and entered the abandoned building, well abandoned to the rest of society besides rats. There were some health code violations which made itself known as her nostrils were instantly filled with the smell of feces and urine.

She opened the familiar rotting wooden door to reveal a red headed man lying down resting the back of his head on his arms.

"Renji," Rukia softly said causing the man to look up.

"Rukia," Renji said smiling as he got out and took her in his arms in a hug, "did ya' make good money."

"Only a hundred," Rukia said her voice muffled by the man's white brown stained t-shirt.

"Well that will last for a couple of days, right Rukia?" Renji looked down at her to reassure her that everything was going to be alright. At first he refused to let her work, but under the circumstances the only way for them to survive was for her to work. He hated it, ever since he had known Rukia she was broken nothing could fix her. She was destined for a harsh life just like he was. Renji cringed at the memory as he released Rukia and smiled at her trying to cheer her up.

Rukia looked over at the make-shift house, the floor was rotting and the walls were dark and stained.

"I just wanted to check on you, just to make sure that everything was okay," Rukia said as her eyes scanned the room.

"You worry too much; they will never find me," Renji assured Rukia, "besides I have been trying to teach myself how to read with this."

He held up a flimsy water-stained article from the newspaper. "Who knows, maybe I will get smart enough to support both of us," he added cheerfully, knowing full well that the only support that would ever come was by Rukia.

"Alright, I will be back with food after I drop off the money," Rukia said as she closed the door leaving Renji in his own world of darkness. After the old woman whom Rukia nicknamed "Oba-chan" when she was younger died when she was five, she was forced to roam the streets alone. She was raped, beaten to the brink of death, and starved alone. That was until she met Renji and his band of friends, than slowly one by one they started to die from malnourishment leaving Renji and her alone, together.

Rukia swiftly climbed the fire escape and lightly jumped down onto the wet concrete alley floor, she walked back to the crosswalk and continued down the familiar and dreaded route. She passed by building and building, the lights flashing by her and piercing through the dark night sky, she was nudged and thrown to the ground by the pedestrians. Every time she would slowly get back up and continue stumbling through the large crowds. She had to be independent; no one would ever help her. She swallowed her spit to parch her thirst; it only helped to make her thirstier. Rukia walked twenty more minutes, the feeling of fatigue was plaguing over her, she hadn't had anything to eat since her last payment. She stopped in front of a small bar, dreading the moment that she has to enter and trying to postpone the meeting just a few seconds longer. If she could delay meeting him she would, but she had tried to reschedule before and he got angry, she had the bruises to prove it.

She stepped forward and opened the metal door and walked into the bar. The smell of sweat and alcohol filled the air as she sat down at one of the booths, the usual spot of their meeting.

"Rukia-chan," a gentle voice filled the air and instantly struck horror in Rukia.

"Aizen-sama," Rukia bowed her head and waited for Aizen to seat himself across from her. She felt cold eyes pierce the back of her neck and instantly knew it was Gin, he had some strange fascination for wanting to see her in pain. He made that evident to her while he was punishing her for Aizen.

"The meeting went well I suppose," Aizen said as he smiled, any normal person would think of him as a kind and gentle soul, but for those who knew his true interior that smile was terrifying. He folded his hands together and laid them on the table and Rukia instantly knew what she was supposed to do.

She pulled out the money and placed it in front of him, if she delayed a moment he would surely sick Gin on her. He quietly looked at the money and fingered it, eyeing the amount of money there was until he was completely satisfied, this only last a few moments but to Rukia it lasted a lifetime.

He looked up at her an smiled coolly, he reached over and patted Rukia's head, "You're such a good girl. Gin, see how she doesn't flinch when I touch her unlike the other girls."

"Seems as if the sparrow doesn't fear ya'," Gin said through his sickening smile.

Rukia wanted to flinch; she was desperate to flinch, anything to further her from Aizen's hands. Her eyes never left Aizen, the spectacle wearing wavy brown haired man that had so much control over her. He continued ruffling her hair as he said, "Than that means we will just have to teach her."

Rukia's eyes widened as he said those words, Aizen gently pulled a lock of her hair up and picked a single strand of the tresses and plucked it, a sharp smirk instantly followed Rukia.

"Don't worry, I am going to just give you a warning and no payment," Aizen said as he smiled at her.

This was worse than being beaten; at least when she was beaten she was able to buy her and Renji food. Desperation sunk in and choked her, she swallowed the small amount of pride she had and said, "Please do anything other than that, Aizen-sama! If you want beat me, torture me, just let me have the money for food!"

"Seems as if ya' have only one thing to do my little Rukia-chan," Gin sing-sung.

Aizen grabbed the back of Rukia's head and slammed her face against the wooden table, splinters stabbed at her skin and she felt Aizen's hand rubbing and digging her face into the table.

"Fear me, love me, and obey me, Rukia-chan. Let all your dreams become nightmares of me and let yourself become so dependent on me, that you would die without me," Aizen whispered into her ear. The hand soon departed from the back of her head and she heard footsteps leaving, Rukia stayed there looking at the wooden table for five more minutes feeling nothing.

When she finally looked up from the position, the feeling of dread still remained. She failed. She failed at making sure not to make Aizen mad, she failed at getting the money, she failed at getting food, she failed Renji. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes, but she sucked in her breath and promised herself that she would never cry again. She hadn't cried since she was nine, she sure as hell wouldn't cry now.

The hour was past midnight now and Rukia slowly stood from the booth and exited the bar. There were few people walking around at this time of night, well besides for the drunk and the men returning from their work to a warm happy home. Some of which were her best costumers, she quickly walked past them with her head down ashamed of being acknowledge outside of the hotel. She closed her eyes and continued forward, until she crashed into somebody and was knocked down.

"Hey are you alright," came a gruff masculine voice.

Rukia just nodded her head and waited for the man to leave.

"Here," she saw a large calloused hand appear in front of her vision, she blinked twice not registering what was happening. Was he trying to help her? She quickly looked up to see a man around her age looking at her with hard auburn eyes and loud orange hair.

"Come on and quit looking like an idiot and grab my hand," the man said with a scowl.

Rukia complied as she slipped her hand into his and was hoisted onto her feet.

"Did ya' hurt yourself," the man said as his eyes scanned her body.

Rukia finally found her voice and said, "No." She bowed her head quickly and said, "Thank you."

She started to quickly walk away until she felt a strong grip on her wrist pull her back and she was forced back with a scowling face, "You don't walk away from someone without saying sorry for bumping into them."

Rukia blinked again, the man's grip still on her wrist, she did the only thing that she could think of… kicked him in his shin. The man instantly breathed in through his teeth as he suddenly went limp in one of his legs, he involuntarily let go of Rukia's wrist when the pain was inflected and she started walking away.

She heard a pissed voice say, "Oh like hell you don't."

And suddenly she felt her body fall to the ground as something heavy tackled her. She turned around to see herself face to face with the orange haired man and it only took a moment to register what had happened to her, "You tackled me!"

"You kicked my shin!"

"Well that's because you grabbed my wrist!"

"Which is because you didn't say you were sorry!"

"Why am I the one that has to say sorry?!"

"Because you bumped into me!"

"Who says that you aren't the one that bumped into me!" Rukia was officially pissed off, she had no food and now she was stuck with a pompous ass that just made her day go from bad to crappy.

The man in returned supported his weight on his hands, to not crush the girl below him. He instantly realized their position and jumped back, trying to cover his blushes.

"Why the hell weren't you blushing?" He said trying to regain his composure.

"What do you mean," Rukia said as she lifted herself onto her elbows.

"Normally girls would be all red in the face in that position," he said as he ran a hand through his orange hair.

"I didn't realize that we were in an odd position," Rukia said as she fully stood up.

There was a moment of awkwardness until Rukia shrugged and started to walk away.

"Wait, I might as well tell you my name," the man said as he scowled at her, "the name's Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Mine's Ru-kia," Rukia said surprised at the fact that she had just given her real name to a stranger. That was a big no-no in the line of business that she dealt with.

Ichigo held his hand out and Rukia only looked at it, not knowing what to do, Ichigo decided to help her out, "Nice to meet you, Rukia."

Rukia only arched an eyebrow and replied, "You are weird…"

* * *

First chapter, I got this idea during school don't know why and how but I was like I wanna make a dark story... than VOILA! I wrote this! So please review and enjoy! 

Hayden Days


	2. Dogs That Are All Bite, But No Bark

The Junk Industry Blues

Chapter 2: Dogs That Are All Bite, But No Bark

**_Warning: Rape_**

* * *

"What?" Ichigo answered in disbelief as he looked down questioningly at the girl before him.

Rukia in return looked right to left and then cheerfully ran over to a food stand.

"Twenty Yakitori please!" She said to the man who only grunted his head in reply, she then added, "The boy with the orange hair will cover the charges."

"Wait what!?" Ichigo yelled as he overheard the raven haired girl's false statement, he saw that she already taken the yakitori and was walking away. He grumbled as he pulled out his wallet from his pants and hesitantly pay the man. After paying he ran over to Rukia and said, "What the hell was that?"

"What do you mean," Rukia said with a mouthful of chicken, holding the rest of her chicken in a cardboard box.

"You forced me to pay for your meal!" Ichigo said while fumes practically came out of his ears.

"Well," Rukia said while pointing a skewer at him, "who was it that knocked me down."

"You bumped into me!"

"Did you fall down," Rukia continued.

"No," Ichigo drawled as he thrusted his hands into his pant pockets.

"Exactly," Rukia started walking, "therefore you owe me a meal!"

"But twenty? Where are you going to put that away?"

"In my stomach, idiot?" Rukia said with a "duh" expression.

They continued walking together in silence, content in each other's company. Well, not exactly. Rukia was content with the chicken's company, Ichigo was just pissed off. He looked over at Rukia and had the instant urge of smacking her. Rukia smiled mischievously at him as she nibbled the chicken and said nonchalantly, "Why haven't I seen you before?"

"I moved here a week ago," Ichigo said as he looked at the girl in the corner of her eye, "why do you ask?"

"I would have noticed your hair before and also you are pretty clueless when it comes to the streets."

"What makes you think that," Ichigo said as his eyebrow twitched.

"You have a dumbass look on your face." Rukia said in between a mouthful of chicken.

Ichigo retaliated, "Well how do you stay so thin because right now you are eating like a pig!"

Rukia's foot instantly drew back and connected with his butt, she then smiled sweetly at a fuming Ichigo as she said, "See you can't even make a decent comeback even if your life depended on it."

Ichigo made it a point to grind his teeth, "What makes you so street smart, if someone jumped you, you would snap like a little twig."

Rukia smiled mischievously as she replied, "That would never happen—"

Ichigo arched an eyebrow.

"I would just show them a picture of your ugly face and they would run away screaming, piercing their eyes out with a fork."

Ichigo took a deep breath of air as he scowled down at the girl, "You are one special case, aren't cha'?"

"Yep, anyways," Rukia said with a smile, "thanks for dinner, Idiot!"

She ran away as quickly as she came leaving an irritated Ichigo in the quake.

* * *

Rukia smiled to herself as she said to no one, "This solves the food dilemma." She hugged the cardboard box to chest and walked down the dark alley, dodging the rats that feasted on the wet trash.

It was always like this, solve one problem at a time. Never look towards the future, for there will never be a future. Take one breath at a time, dismiss all hopes and dreams. For those privileged people who lived safely and comfortably in their homes, they could dream and hope for something. But for her dreams and hopes would only be a nice idea that's foreign to her. Rukia looked up at the fire escape that she stopped at and sighed, she said aimlessly, "That was fun to fool someone as stupid as him."

Knowing that she would never see someone as clueless as him, she dismissed all worries of him knowing her name. It wouldn't matter if he knew, she was nobody and he, she assumed was somebody. Someone who at least had heating.

She swiftly climbed the fire escape and entered the familiar building; she called out, "Renji, I got some food!"

Before she could even react Renji came running towards her and yanked a skewer from the box and swallowed the chicken.

He looked at the smiling Rukia as he said, "So you were paid big this time, huh?"

Rukia swallowed back the truth and shook her head 'yes' reassuringly.

Renji sighed as he said, "That's good, I was getting worried about our situation."

Rukia placed a fake smile on her face and said, "Don't worry I will take care of us."

"Well I was thinking that I should start working."

Rukia's back straightened as she looked up harshly at Renji, "You can't do that."

"Why not?" Renji frowned.

"If they found out that you were a part of the Gocha-Suru gang, you would be killed!"

Rukia was selfish, she knew it. She couldn't bear the thought of being alone anymore, one by one Renji and her friends died. She saw them wither away to nothing from the cold, sickness and malnutrition. She can't handle being alone anymore.

"How would they find out?!" Renji retorted.

"Look at your face and body! It's covered in tattoos!" Rukia yelled with her hands on her hips.

Renji looked down at his tribal tattoos on his wrists, "…so?"

"And also they are still looking for you, you dumbass! Do you think they would let you get away with abandoning them!?"

Renji's face was covered with shame as he said defeated, "Fine, but you aren't doing this shit anymore Rukia."

"It's too late to back down now!" Rukia said as she shoved a skewer into his mouth to shut him up. She then briskly walked over to the small storage closet and said over her shoulder, "Good night!"

She slammed the door and slid to the floor. It was too late for many things Aizen knew the leader of Renji's gang; he knew where Renji was hiding. She was threatened to work for him or else Renji would be killed and ultimately she would die. From loneliness, from starvation, from Aizen.

She was forced to pick the better of two evils: work an unspeakable job and get money for food and have Renji still alive, or die. If she was stronger she would have chosen death, but she was a coward. Only a coward. Rukia lifted her aching body off the damp floor and wrapped a moth eaten blanket around her body, the sudden realization of the cold making her bones quiver.

She didn't know when she fell asleep, but when she opened her eyes she knew it was time for her to work. She cracked the door open softly and looked at the sleeping Renji, she always did that for she hated to see the shamed look in his eyes when he saw her leave. She always stepped nimbly around his sleeping form and swiftly stepped onto the fire escape. And he always cracked open an eye to watch her leave.

* * *

Rukia opened the motel room; it was the same one that she used all the previous times. When she _agreed_ with Aizen he told her to come into this room at noon and leave at two in the morning, in the same room every day. The man who owned the motel reaped the profits, of course. Aizen wouldn't have it any other way; he would give the man his share of the profits made by her. Needless to say that the room was never occupied by anyone other than Rukia and her clients.

She sat on the bed for an hour, every minute a need shame fell upon her. The door opened and a man quickly closed it behind him, he looked at Rukia with lecherous eyes and said, "Time to play Ru-chan."

"Oh great," Rukia said with a roll of her eyes, "a regular."

He unzipped his pants and Rukia zipped her heart prepared to meet what was ahead.

* * *

"That should be the last guy today," Rukia said as she looked at the clock that winked 2:39 am at her. She quickly took a shower and placed her dirty clothes on her body when she heard the door click open. Rukia looked out of the bathroom and saw a man shaking on the bed looking perverse and weird.

"Aizen-sama, told me that you will be able to help me." He said as he looked at her, Rukia swallowed a rising lump in her throat and shook her head 'yes'. She had a bad feeling about the guy.

"Good," he said with a sigh of relief as he walked over to Rukia, "because there is no other way for me to get excited unless—"

He reached into his pants and showed her a gun, "there's a gun involved."

Rukia's eyes widened and realization dawned on her that Aizen planned this, the man grabbed her wrist painfully and whisked her onto the bed. Rukia yelped and he smiled down at her as he caged her body in between his legs and hands. Rukia's swallowed rising bile as she felt a cold finger run down her stomach and pulled off her pants.

"Hey Ru-chan, we are going to have fun," he giggled as his smile twisted into a demented look that Rukia could only describe as evil.

"Ya' know no one has ever agreed to this," the man said, "good thing Aizen-sama suggested you."

Before Rukia could respond her shirt was over her head and her naked body laid for the man to see.

"You have such pretty skin," The man said as he licked her neck, "so pale, so flawless."

"Say 'Ahh'" the man said as he forced the gun into the struggling Rukia's mouth. The metal rested on her tongue and she gagged on the object, the taste of gunpowder overwhelming her. She instinctively tried to kick him off, he wrapped a large hand around her throat making her breathing harsh and difficult.

"Ru-chan, why aren't you crying yet?" The man said as he licked her face and forced the gun further down her throat.

"Do ya' think it's not loaded," he asked as his free hand started to roam her body.

"Do ya' think I am just playing around," his hand started to separate her clenched legs, prying them open with force.

All Rukia could hear was her heartbeat. All Rukia could do was struggle and scream against the gun. She was instantly freed from the gun when the man pulled it out and smiled at Rukia, his words etched into her mind and caused her spine to tingle.

"I don't play around Ru-chan," he shot at her arm, the bullet tore through the flesh like a scythe through grass. And she screamed in pain as her back arched off the mattress, the man took that moment to thrust the gun back into her mouth.

Rukia laid limp as her unwounded hand gripped the blanket through clenched fingers and he entered her.

* * *

Wow, don't know where that came from... lol hoped you enjoyed reading it and sorry about the long waits on my updating on both stories!! Anyways Review please, I would love to know what you think! Thank you already for those who have reviewed and read, I am sending you my love. And oh yeah I don't want Rukia to be portrayed as a slut, so I will try to make sure that in the later chapters you will come to see her as what I have in my mind!

So ya'll think I am doing good on making a dark story, cause so far I am satisfied! Wow... never thought I would be saying something like that... REVIEWS

Hayden Days


	3. A Hard Habit

The Junk Industry Blues

Chapter 3: A Hard Habit

* * *

Slut. Tramp. Whore. All those names seemed to scream in her head as she closed her eyes and felt her body become weaker. The blood felt warm as it trickle down her arm. The man was gone, but the taste of metal lingered her mouth. A constant reminder of her shame.

She would change everything if she could, but she was no magician. She knew the harsh realities of life could kill any sane person. She didn't know if she was sane or not. Rukia squeezed her eyes shut and fought off the idea of death. The all too familiar feel of the cotton sheets scratched at her skin.

She couldn't die, she wouldn't. She just couldn't give up like that; she refused to die on the streets, without a home or name. If she did die, nobody would visit her grave, that is if the city gives her one. Perhaps Renji would, but that is only if he doesn't die from starvation or pure stupidity.

The door clicked open and her heart pounded violently in her chest. The coldness of fear prickled her skin causing goosebumps. She helplessly listened to the casual thumps of feet crossing a carpeted floor and a gasp.

She never believed in God, but now she was praying feverishly to Him. She was the ultimate hypocrite.

"Holy shit, what happened to you?" a warm voice filled the room killing the shameful silence that Rukia was suffering. Rukia peeked out of her eye and looked at the man. All she could tell was that he had black hair and was tall and big, she tried to speak, but could only choke.

"Take it easy!" The man said as he wiped the hair out of her face, his warm hand comforted her and she instantly felt at ease.

"My name is Kurosaki Isshin," the man said as he swiftly placed a bag on the bed and shuffled through the various items. He quickly took out tongs and rolled a cloth, "Here bite on this, it will hurt a bit."

The taste of metal was replaced with the taste of cotton as Isshin placed the cloth in Rukia's mouth. She soon realized that a bit was an understatement as he placed the tong in her wound fishing for the bullet, she screamed and her teeth clenched the cloth. Her body thrashed as what was seconds seemed like hours.

"Here we go," Isshin smiled warmly as he showed her the bullet in between the tong's endings, Rukia smiled weakly. Isshin returned to the bag to take out a needle and a syringe.

Isshin deciding that it was better to comfort his patient rather than let her focus on her wounds started talking.

"You are probably wondering why I am here, huh?" He said as he tapped the syringe full of pain killers. Rukia just meekly nodded her head and closed her eyes.

"Well, I guess it would be good to start from the start," he chuckled to himself as he measured the syringe's contents.

"Well, me and my son and two daughters moved here to start my own clinic, about a week ago."

He placed the syringe needle into the side of her wound, "and the first job I got was by this Aizen fella, he told me..."

Isshin badly mimicked Aizen's voice as he threaded the needle, "tonight there will be a patient that will need to be tended."

Isshin gently glided the needle through the skin, and his face turned cold, "but I didn't think that the patient would be this bad…"

Rukia whimpered and Isshin glided the needle again, "my son is around your age, in his last year of high school."

Isshin was greeted with silence, so he continued, "Yep, he's stubborn as hell though. Gets into a lot of fights, but at least his grades are good. His name is Ichigo."

Rukia's eyes snapped open as she breathed out, "Ichigo."

"Hmm? You know him?" Isshin said as he cut the stitches. He got out antibiotics and cotton and started dabbing the wounds over her body.

Rukia closed her eyes once again and slowly nodded her head.

"That's a relief; he hasn't made any friends yet." Isshin forced a smile and started bandaging the wounds, "you've lost a lot of blood."

Rukia swallowed the building saliva and chocked out, "Stay away from Aizen."

Isshin froze his movements and frowned, "Why?"

Rukia breathed heavily, "He will make your life," she took another breath, "a living hell."

"He did this to you?" Isshin asked anger evident in her voice.

"Can't tell you," Rukia whimpered, realizing that she was saying too much. All she wanted to do was to scream at Isshin to run away and pour her heart out.

"But if you are wise, you would never," another breath, "associate with him again."

Isshin smiled and said, "I can take care of myself." Taking advantage of Rukia talking, he asked, "So what did happen to you?"

"It's a secret," Rukia smiled weakly.

"Ah, mysterious. I like that in women," Isshin smiled and made light of the situation. He took off his coat and pulled it over her body, keeping her warm.  
"I'll stay here tonight and we will see if we need to take you to the hospital," Isshin sat heavily in a chair nearby the bed. He ruffled Rukia's hair and Rukia just nodded.

Isshin continued to stroke her hair and Rukia drifted to sleep. His gentle stroking soothed her and made her forget the horror that she experienced only hours ago. That night was the first night she didn't have a nightmare.

* * *

Ichigo sighed as he dropped his book bag on the table, he turned around when he heard the front door open and shut. He saw his dad and said, "Yo."

"Ichigo!" Isshin made an attempt to kick Ichigo in the face, but the boy dodged it.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Ichigo angrily asked.

"My little boy has finally grew up!" Isshin said with teary eyes.

Ichigo just glared and growled, he was about to turn around when he saw the bags underneath his father's eyes, "Ya' just got home?"

Isshin's face turned grave, recalling the image of the broken girl he just tended, "Yeah."

"Ah," was all that Ichigo could say as he climbed the stars.

Isshin recalled what the girl said to him before and called after Ichigo, "Ichigo, if a man named Aizen calls reject whatever he says or offers."

Ichigo just shrugged his shoulders and entered his room leaving Isshin alone in the living room. Isshin collapsed on the couch and buried his face into his hands whispering to himself, "My God, what have we gotten into?"

* * *

Rukia slowly climbed along the fire escape and stalled infront of the window. She took a deep breath and was about to enter, when two tattooed hands grabbed her shirt and pulled her through. She was thrown against the wall, two hands holding her up from the floor.

She instantly closed her eyes and whimpered as she heard, "Where the hell were you?"

She peeked through one eye and pain shot through her entire body, she automatically yelped.

"Rukia, don't ever do that again! Do you hear me?"

Rukia didn't responded, so the voice yelled harsher, "Do you hear me?"

Rukia nodded and her heart thumped harshly against her chest as memories of the previous night flashed through her mind.

The hands released her and she slowly dropped against the wall, pain shocking her body.

"Rukia?" The voice was filled with concern and she felt the hands support her back, "what happened to you?"

She opened her eyes to met Renji's worried face, "Nothing."

He slowly fingered the bandages that were along her face and arms and asked, "Who the hell did this to you!"

"Nobody." She looked away from Renji, not wanting him to see her shame.

She slowly lifted herself from the floor and dodging Renji's face said, "I am going to sleep."

She quickly went into the closet and shut the door, and slide down the wall to the floor holding her body with her arms.

Renji sighed as he ran a hand through his red hair, "Dammit Rukia," he said to himself, "why won't you tell me anything."

He walked over to the closet and talked to the door, "Listen Rukia, I am sorry about reacting like that."

Silence.

"It's just that when you didn't return from your… job," he said "job" with disgust, knowing the only decent way to describe it.

"I didn't know what to do, I was about to look for you," he sat down resting his back on the closet door.

"But that would have pissed you off. I just felt helpless and ever since that one night when we were little—"

"Renji!" Rukia cut him off, her heart slowly calming down.

"Yeah?" he asked his head turned slightly to the door.

"Can you stay here…."

Renji weakly smiled, "Yeah…"

They sat in silence, listening to each other's light breathing. Comforting each other, the only way they knew how. By doing nothing.

* * *

I am so sorry about such a long wait before this update, it was the end of school and I had to raise my math grade from a 30 to a 70 percent. Don't even know how, I got that low of a grade... anyways and then after school I went to Costa Rica for ten days... It was fun! Yeah, so I have updated and I know that the chapter is really short. Sorry about that too!

Anyways I am going to update, but remember more reviews equals me being more pumped up to update quicker!

Please review and enjoy! Thanks!

Hayden Days


	4. Tokyo Nights

The Junk Industry Blues

Chapter 4: Tokyo Nights

_Turnstile: A mechanical device used to control passage from one public area to another, typically consisting of several horizontal arms supported by and radially projecting from a central vertical post and allowing only the passage of individuals on foot. _

_A similar structure that permits the passage of an individual once a charge has been paid or that counts the number of individuals passing through._

_-Dictionary_

* * *

Ichigo sighed against his pillow, school was hell. Everyone was either intimidated by him because of his scowling ways, or pissed off by his orange hair. Frankly, by third grade he was tired of telling everyone that his hair was natural so from then on he just put up with them trying to fight him and/or accusing him of bleaching his hair. What's the point? It's not like it would change anything.

He looked up at his nightstand, a simple frame rested on its surface. The frame's picture was of him as a child of five with his mom; Ichigo sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He quickly shoved the reoccurring memories into the back of his mind, the guilt and shame he always had some difficulty getting rid of.

"I need to get out of here," Ichigo sighed to himself as he jumped off his bed and left his room. His door slammed behind him.

"Son!" his father's voice called to him.

"What?" He asked as he quickly stepped down the stairs.

"You going out?" His father leaned against a door frame, his arms crossed against his chest.

"Yeah, I'm getting milk. We're out." Ichigo shoved one of his arms into his jacket.

"Ah." Lately his father seemed to have lost his annoying ways and seemed to have been getting serious, "did _he _call?"

"No, it's been three days so far, Dad. I don't think that Aizen guy will be calling anymore," Ichigo said as he walked out the door, closing it behind him.

Isshin's thoughts returned to the girl who he had to save. She would have died in a matter of hours, if he didn't come.

"We can only hope." He said to himself as he watched his two daughters bickering in the kitchen behind him out of the corner of his eye.

* * *

Rukia sighed to herself, she hasn't returned to work in three days, trying to heal herself. Not to mention she was scared out of her mind, knowing Aizen he will become impatient with her. She really didn't want to feel his wrath again, and her not coming to work will only end in chaos.

She walked down the streets dodging the Tokyo citizens that had better things to do than look up and watch where they were going.

"Yo," a familiar voice called behind her.

"Yo?" Rukia couldn't help but repeat as she looked behind her to come face to face with a scowling Ichigo, "Who the hell uses that word anymore?"

Ichigo was taken back for a moment and blinked as he asked, "What do you mean?"

"Yo." Rukia repeated, "Only wannabe gangsters use that word anymore."

She had enough experience with gangsters to know their vocabulary, especially since she was living with an ex-one.

"Nice to see you, too," Ichigo said his words dripping with sarcasm.

Which Rukia didn't catch on, "Eh, the feelings differ on this side, carrot-boy."

She started walking away, not bothering to see if Ichigo would follow.

"You owe me money, midget!" He yelled briskly following her.

"For what?" She asked turning a corner.

"For the Yakitori," He said as he quickened his pace, "damn you walk fast for having short legs."

Rukia sighed as she continued walking, apparently this dumbass couldn't catch a clue that he wasn't wanted around her. After turning a few corners and trying to lose him for at least a good ten minutes, she spun around on her heel and crossed her arms, "What. Do. You. Want?"

"Money," Ichigo said happily, knowing that he won the battle of who would quit walking first.

"I don't have any," she said angrily.

"Too bad," he said as he flicked her forehead, "you owe me some and I won't leave until I get it."

Rukia's hand shot up to her forehead and started rubbing the sore spot, "what do I owe you money for?"

"Lemme see how did you put it? Oh yeah, you called it 'dinner'." Ichigo scowled.

"You owed me dinner for bumping into me," Rukia crossed her arms against her chest.

"If I recall correctly, you walked into me." Ichigo growled.

"Don't tell me that we are on the same argument," Rukia huffed as she turned around and started walking away.

Ichigo jogged to catch up, but that only made Rukia start running. She quickly dodged the walking people left and right, and Ichigo grunted as he kept on running into people.

"Dammit," he gritted his teeth, "how can she be so swift."

He sucked in a mouthful of air and started fastening his pace, not caring if he knocked people over.

Rukia started laughing quickly to herself, knowing that she was keeping the distance between her and the pestering boy. She quickly took a glance behind her back and her eyes widen in shock, Ichigo was tearing through the crowd of people, "Holy crap! He's a Rhino!"

Rukia quickly looked to her left and right and smiled when she saw the subway, "Yes!"

She quickened her pace and ran across the street, dodging a couple screeching and honking cars.

"Holy crap," Ichigo said as he stalled in front of the curb watching Rukia dodging the cars. He looked left to right, and said to himself, "If she could do it than I can, too!"

He ran across the street, adrenaline pumping through his veins his eyes never leaving Rukia's retreating form.

"I'll get you now," He said as he jumped onto the opposite side's street curb, happy that he didn't get hit. He could hear the people from the cars yelling curses at him and his ears were filled with the sounds of screeching horns.

Rukia entered the subway's entrance and looked behind her to see Ichigo still following her, "He didn't cross the street, did he?"

Watching him for a moment longer only confirmed her suspicions and she yelled behind her, "You're crazy!"

Ichigo heard her and yelled at her, "Says the one who was the first to cross the street!"

Rukia gritted her teeth and leaped down the stairs, clearing at least ten steps. She landed on her feet, and spread her arms out to form a "T" for balance and started running away again.

Ichigo stalled for a moment, stunned at the petite girl's jump and yelled to her, "You are not getting away that quickly!" He jumped on the staircase's railing and slide down the rail on his feet while doing a surfing position. He quickly jumped off at the end and engaged in the pursuit once more.

Rukia watched his performance behind her back and said, "Crap!" She crawled under the turnstile and Ichigo completely leaped over it and jumped right in front of Rukia. Smiling with his arms crossed against his chest he looked down at Rukia with triumph.

"I win," Ichigo's eyebrow shut up, "now get your ass up from down there."

Rukia cursed and slowly lifted herself up from the floor and dusted her jeans off, "What do you want, you stalker!"

"My money," Ichigo scowled.

"Well, good luck getting that," Rukia said as she attempted to crawl underneath the turnstile again, only to find that Ichigo had a firm grip on the back of her shirt.

"Let me go!" She growled.

"Nope," He said as he walked through the turnstile holding her up completely off the ground by the back of her shirt with one hand. Rukia started kicking and punching the air, trying to make him release her, 

but all her efforts failed since her arms and legs didn't reach his body. So she did the only thing she knew to do, cross her arms and pout.

"You are a real idiot, you know that," she said behind her.

"Says the person that got herself caught," Ichigo scowled and started walking back up the steps.

"Well, at least I wasn't stalking anyone," Rukia snapped.

"At least I don't owe anyone money and then refuse them to it," Ichigo growled, gritting his teeth. He should just throw her in front of a subway train and get rid of her, once and for all. But there was a little problem with that, she still owed him money. And he is never the man to let debts remain unpaid.

Rukia remained silent as he ascended the stairs and ignored the weird looks the people going down were giving them. She could only imagine their sight, an orange haired lunatic carrying a petite girl up in the air with only one hand up some stairs. Really she would have done the same thing, so she couldn't blame them.

Upon returning up the top of the stairs, Ichigo dropped Rukia on her butt and glared down at her. Rukia landed with a graceful, "Uff," and glared up at Ichigo, ready to give him a few choice words.

"There they are!" called out a voice, and they both turned their heads to see a group of very pissed people glaring at them. A scene of cars completely wreck and smoke laid before their eyes.

"Oh crap," Rukia said.

Ichigo gritted his teeth, "This isn't—"

"Good." Rukia finished his sentence.

Ichigo quickly grabbed Rukia's hand and yanked her up and started running, forcing her to run with him. Rukia quickly took a glance behind her and yelled to Ichigo, "They're chasing after us!"

Ichigo quickened his pace, bit his lip and took the form of a high school sprinter and Rukia's feet barely touched the ground.

"WHICH WAY?" Ichigo yelled to a stunned Rukia.

"Left," she screamed out and her arm was tugged towards that direction, as Ichigo's hand tightened against her own.

They ran down an alley and Rukia yelled, "Right!"

Ichigo followed her directions, not hesitating to follow her very simple left and rights. Soon the yelling of the mob was growing distant and he said out to her, "I think we are losing them!"

"Good! Another left," Rukia cried out.

Ichigo did so and Rukia called out, "I think we can stop."

Ichigo stopped and released her hand, and collapsed against the alley's wall.

In between breaths he asked to Rukia, "You know these streets pretty well, huh?"

Rukia was supporting her body with one hand against the wall and her head hung down as sweat rolled down her face, "Yeah, I lived here all my life."

Ichigo wiped her brow with his jacket sleeve and started chuckled to himself.

"What's so funny," Rukia asked clearly exhausted.

"We were chasing each other, than were chased by a mob." Ichigo said trying to hold back his laughter.

Rukia smiled and allowed herself the luxury of laughing as she said in between giggles, "I am surprised they didn't have pitchforks!"

A warm liquid rolled down her arm and she looked down to see blood, "Oh crap."

"Hey midget, you're bleeding," Ichigo pointed out.

"Thanks, Captain Obvious," Rukia rolled her eyes and poked the blood.

"What happened?"

"It must have reopened from you tugging my arm so hard," she said as she watch the blood slowly roll down her arm.

"Come to my house, my dad owns a clinic," Ichigo said.

"Fine," Rukia sighed to herself, "but what about the money."

"Eh, that can wait later," Ichigo said as he started walking out of the alley with his hands shoved into his pockets.

Rukia just followed him into the streets, figuring she had nothing better to do.

* * *

Isshin was in the middle of attempting to hug his daughter Yuzu, when the door was open and he heard Ichigo call to him, "Dad, I've got a girl who needs to get looked at!"

"A girl!" Isshin run out into the hallway, "Did my boy finally get a girlfri—"

Isshin stopped in mid-embarrassment to see the girl he tended to three days before, his heart sunk and he gravely asked, "What happened?"

Rukia was stunned as all recounts of that night left her mind and she licked her chapped lips, remembering the kind doctor was Ichigo's father, "Nothing, I think my wound just reopened."

Ichigo looked at his father then at Rukia and noticed their discomfort, "You guys met before?"

"Yep," his father faked a smile, "I met her at the supermarket and we sort of got into an argument over the last cheese. You know how daddy likes his cheese!"

"Yeah," Ichigo drawled, not believing his father's explanation. He looked at Rukia to see that she was smiling brightly and nodding her head, he just shrugged and Isshin said, "Follow me."

After a moment of awkward silence down the hall, Isshin opened a door to reveal a room with a hospital bed and hospital instruments.

"Sit down," Isshin directed Rukia and Ichigo sat down on the chair next to the bed.

Isshin got cotton and started cleaning up the wound, he said, "I never got your name."

"Oh, it's Rukia," Rukia said as she swung her thin legs from the edge of the bed.

Isshin smiled warmly, as he started to restich the wound, "And how did you met my amazing son?"

Ichigo answered for her, "We sort of ran into each other."

"Literally," Rukia huffed.

Isshin finished his stitching and said, "There! Looks like the wound isn't infected, so you are good to go whenever you want."

At the part where he said "whenever you want", he looked over at Ichigo and flashed him a thumbs up and a smile which Ichigo snarled at and Rukia missed.

The phone in the room started ringing and Isshin looked at Rukia and said, "Excuse me."

He answered the phone with a, "Hello?"

"Good evening, Kurosaki-kun." Came a hauntingly familiar voice.

Isshin became stiff and he replied, "Oh, Aizen-san."

Rukia instantly froze at that name and looked up at Isshin, she said softly, "Aizen?"

Ichigo looked over at Rukia from the corner of his eyes and then at his father who said to Aizen on the phone, "I didn't know you would be calling so soon."

* * *

Whao, two consecutive updates! Yay, I am on fire! I just got hit with inspiration and had to type this bad boy out, I am fairly satisfied with it!

Oh I included the definition of a turnstile up at top so that my readers wouldn't get confused because it's not a very common word to use. Frankly I call them those spinny bar thingies.

Anyways I hope you enjoy this chapter and hope that I get hit with inspiration agian tomorrow, perferablly before 1 in the morning!

Read, Review and Enjoy!

Hayden Days


	5. Odds Are Three to One

The Junk Industry Blues

Chapter 5: Odds Are Three to One

* * *

Ichigo could feel the sparks of intensity through the air. He watched Rukia from the corner of his eyes and saw that she suddenly became preoccupied with the floor. Ichigo looked over at his father and saw that he was gesturing towards the door. Ichigo let out an annoyed sigh and hastily grabbed Rukia's hand and pulled a shocked Rukia towards the door. Once out he closed the door behind them and snarled at it.

Rukia who was shaken from the abruptness of Ichigo's actions pouted and whispered harshly, "You idiot! You damn near ripped my arm out of my socket!"

Ichigo snarled and said in between his teeth, "Shut up, I am trying to listen."

"What?" Rukia asked, pretending to not hear the always so pleasant Ichigo.

Ichigo scowled and whispered, "This Aizen guy is suspicious, so shut up!"

Rukia's stomach knotted and she swallowed her rising saliva, "Do you know Aizen personally?"

"No, but dad does and from what I can make of it, Aizen is no good." Ichigo said as he squatted to the floor and strategically adjusted his ear on the wooden door, he looked up at her, "Why, do you?"

"Do I what?" Rukia asked as she squatted down to the floor next to Ichigo and joining him in listening through the door.

Ichigo's brow furrowed, "Know Aizen?"

"Oh," Rukia smiled nonchalantly and she quickly came up with a plausible story, "my friend knows him."

Ichigo studied her face for a moment and decided that she was lying, but he dismissed it, figuring that she had her reasons. He returned his attention to the door and couldn't hear one word, he cursed modern and stable building techniques and noticed that Rukia's face was a good five inches away from his. It was so close that he could feel her breath faintly on his cheeks; he quickly fought the urge to blush. This was the first time he was this close to a girl that it greatly embarrassed him. He damn near died when he heard Rukia's voice whisper softly, "You can let go of my hand now."

"What?" Ichigo brought their clasped hands to the level of their faces and realized that he was still holding her hand. He quickly released her hands as he replayed the events in his head: Aizen called, Grabbed her hand, Went out of room, Listened through door…. Crap he forgot one major step! His ears turned instantly red and he scowled.

He looked at Rukia to see if she was as embarrassed as he was, but only to see her smiling mischievously.

"So much for your cool guy image, huh?" Rukia smirked.

Ichigo decided the only way to save himself was to turn the tables on her, "You enjoyed it."

"Enjoyed that sweaty trap of death," Rukia waved a finger in front of his face, "I think not."

"Oh yeah, then why didn't you say something sooner," Ichigo smirked.

"What do you mean?" Rukia tilted her head slightly to the side.

"There was a good ten minutes of hand holding and you didn't say shit," Ichigo said as he returned to standing position, smiling victoriously down at Rukia.

"Well you didn't say anything," Rukia glared up at him then returned to standing position.

"Well that's because your hand is so small next to mine that it didn't even register to me that I was holding anything. As far as I was concerned, I was holding air." Ichigo smirked, realizing that he might actually win this little battle. He decided to swoop in for the kill, "You would've noticed my giant hand covering your little hand and you didn't say anything for ten minutes even though you knew that I was holding your hand, which means that you enjoyed it."

Rukia glared at him and crossed her arms across her chest, "You are going to regret saying that."

"Oh really what are you going to do? Run through Tokyo like a mad little midget again?"

Rukia sharply kicked Ichigo in the shin, smiling when she heard the "Uff" produced.

Ichigo winced as he rubbed his throbbing shin, he glared at Rukia, "Do you always kick someone when ever anything is not going your way."

"Yep," Rukia shrugged as she started walking away, she looked back at him and said, "I enjoy it."

* * *

Isshin rubbed his aching temples with his free hand as he placed the telephone receiver on its hoister. He dropped down into his chair and drew in a long breath.

"Thank God," he finally said. He was thankful; the conversation with Aizen was like walking on a bed of needles with an extremely polite, temperamental, venomous snake. He resumed massaging his temples with both hands and could feel the relief slowly sink into his body.

He managed to give Rukia three days away from Aizen; it wasn't much, but it was something.

He echoed the words he told Aizen, "She needs time to rest due to her critical condition."

He could still her Aizen's words, _"She has already been missing for three days."_

"Yes, but she was on the brink of death when I found her. It's a miracle that she is even alive."

"_What is the minimum needed?" _His voice seemed calm, but Isshin could hear the rising anger in his voice.

"At least three."

"_Fine. If she isn't in the room in three days, I will just have to visit her at your clinic."_

"Wha—"The phone on the other end suddenly became disconnected and Isshin immediately knew that he said something that Aizen didn't want to hear.

* * *

Ichigo was still smirking and it was pissing Rukia off. Rukia could feel her blood boiling and knew that she needed to get out of the house before she threw something at him. Something sharp and pointy. She quickly opened the front door and stepped out to the open air.

Ichigo smirked as he watched her leave the house and decided that he was going to milk this very rare moment for all its worth. He followed her with his hands shoved in his pockets, smirking as he watched the petite girl speed walk away.

Rukia watched the ground as she quickly walked away, pouting all the way. She could hear his footsteps match the tempo of her footsteps and she wouldn't allow herself to look behind her. So she decided that the best place to look at was the ground when she heard the footsteps suddenly become faster. She yelped when something grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back and she was brought to Ichigo's scowling face.

"What the hell was that for you rejected carrot?" Rukia yelled angrily.

"Look the hell where ya' going!" Ichigo growled and looked behind her. Rukia turned her head slightly and saw a giant tree three steps in front of her, her mouth formed a small "o" shape and she glared at Ichigo. She wouldn't allow her pride to be defeated so she frowned, "I knew that was there!"

"Oh yeah, "Ichigo smirked, "lemme guess, you were going to move around it right before I grabbed you."

"Exactly," Rukia smiled and said sweetly, "what's with you and grabbing me today?"

Ichigo snarled and Rukia swore that she saw a vein pop out of his neck, she smiled and continued with her torture, "Hm, I heard that boys now a days are filled with testosterone but—"

"Rukia," Ichigo growled, "if I were you I wouldn't even finish that sentence."

"Oh" Rukia put her hand up to her mouth and smiled sweetly, "I wasn't even going to say anything! Ichigo, you tend to surprise easily!"

"Me? Surprise?" Ichigo scowled, "Like hell! You were the one that yelped when I saved you from the tree! If anyone becomes surprised easily it's you, you stupid midget!"

Rukia smirked and faked being insulted, "Me become surprised? As if you could ever surprise me?"

"Oh I think that I could surprise ya' real easily," Ichigo said with a smirk.

Rukia could feel a challenge in the air and she was never a girl that let a challenge go by.

"Oh yeah, you want to bet?"

"Sure, but I will be an easy win for me," Ichigo smirked as he watched the irritable petite girl cross her arms across her chest.

"Fine, but let me tell you, I am like a brick wall," Rukia said with a pound on her chest.

"Whatever," Ichigo scowled, "Let's go back, I'm hungry."

Rukia nodded her head and followed Ichigo. While they both walked back to Ichigo's house they had the thoughts of an easy victory ringing in their minds.

* * *

Yes, I finally updated after many months! I am so sorry!!!! I rewrote this chapter so many times that I was getting really frustrated, so I gave up on it and decided to come back to this story after a good rest! Which lasted much longer then expected.... anyways I already have the entire story planned out and this chapter I really wanted to focus on Ichigo and Rukia's relationship because they are just so cute with their bickering!!! Anyways I am hoping to make the next two chapters really drama filled just like the first two so don't worry this story will become more and more juicy!

Read, Review, and Enjoy!

Hayden Days


	6. Billiards of Fate

The Junk Industry Blues

Chapter 6: Billiards of Fate

* * *

Renji paced the room, horrible thoughts swimming in his mind.

"Ah, fuck Rukia, you better not be dead…"

It's been three days, three long quiet days where he was left with his own thoughts, horrid fantasies of Rukia out on the streets bleeding to death, being kidnapped—never had he disgustingly entertained himself with such thoughts. He couldn't help but blame himself for everything that Rukia had been going through.

Every tear she unwillingly shed and pride fully hid from him, he felt a gash at his chest; every time she didn't tell him something he felt as if his heart would explode. She was the only thing he had, all the others had died and he knew that he was slowly losing her to the life of the streets.

He suddenly wished that he was never born, maybe then, he wouldn't have to suffer like he was now.

Renji shook his head and grimaced, through clenched teeth he said, "Well aren't I the most selfish mother fucker…"

Rukia was suffering more than he will ever know, taking back his previous wish he knew that he was placed on earth to protect her for the time being. What a hell of a job he was doing at that, she was a prostitute because of him.

"I should have never joined that fucking gang," Renji declared exasperatedly.

Yes, at first when he was approached by the leader of Gocha-Suru he was somewhat relieved. They provided for him and Rukia some sort of stability which they never even dreamed of. A life filled with money, food, and security; perhaps even a roof over their heads. Rukia never liked the idea of Gocha-Suru, she would tell Renji that killing others for food hardly seemed justified.

"_Who the hell cares about whether something is justifiable or not, Rukia?" Renji ran a tense hand through his hair._

"_I do! What the hell ever happened to doing our best according to our circumstances," Rukia crossed his arms._

_The alley they were standing in was dark and scattered with various articles of garbage, it seemed that all of Tokyo's litter ended up in this desolated hell hole where they currently slept._

"_Yeah, well our circumstances should be able to included Gocha-Suru!" Renji replied, arms spread wide trying to convince his friend to agree with him._

"_Yeah, well killing another person just so that we have full stomachs isn't what I necessarily think of when I say 'according to our circumstances.'" _

"_What is stealing food any better!" _

_Renji was at his wit ends with the girl in front of him and he was about to scream in frustration at her. Why couldn't she see it his way? All he was doing is ensuring that they would both survive to see another tomorrow. He wanted to make a future for both of them, he was desperate to escape the nights of sleeping beneath trash cans and thoughts of Rukia's safety._

"_Well, it's better than killing another human being, it just isn't right!" _

"_And, what happened to me isn't right. How about you, are you telling me that what happened to you was right? Tell me Rukia, what is right and wrong—What the fuck is this thing called justice that you keep bringing up?"—Rukia was looking at her feet and clinched her fists at her side, Renji grabbed her shoulders trying to will her to believe in him—"Rukia, listen. There is no justice for us. Not for you and sure as hell not for me. If we keep trying to follow the rules we will end up underneath a tomb with no name. This Gocha-Suru gang might be our only chance to live"_

_Rukia looked up and Renji searched her face for any sign of approval, "Justice doesn't exist for us. It never will be able to, this is the only way to keep surviving."_

_Rukia's face was unreadable, Renji hated how she never let her guard down for him, she softly said, "Promise you will avoid killing whenever possible?"_

_Renji's smile was wide and grateful, he nodded his head aggressively and replied, "I promise."_

He lied, he knew that he wouldn't be able to avoid killing. Once inside of Gocha-Suru, he was overcome by the glamour of killing. The idea of playing God made him break his promise with Rukia, he did his best to keep the promise, but in the end he killed. He killed so many innocent people that he was surprised that they haven't come up to haunt him. Although, he was haunted by the memories of the look of fear in their eyes, each time he pulled the trigger.

"_Yo Renji," Shuuhei looked at the newly tattooed rookie, "ya' ready for our first job."_

_Renji swallowed the oncoming saliva rising up in his throat and nodded his head. He felt a slap on his back and saw Ikkaku smirking at him, "After the first job, 'ya start to like this line of work."_

_Renji kept his face emotionless, "Why?"_

_Ikkaku's smirk became wider as he shouldered his L85A2 LSW machine gun and threw an automatic rifle at the red headed rookie, "'Cause ya' feel like God."_

_Renji held the rifle in his newly tattooed hands and looked up at the two smirking men and allowed himself to join the smirk as Shuuhei said, "Let's go."_

_Three minutes later, Renji was looking down at a startled man who was looking up at Renji's rifle which was pointed to his brow. The man whimpered, and mumbled, "Please do—"_

_Renji pulled the trigger and was satisfied at the man's sudden jerking of his head back, with a thud, the man was on the ground with his eyes rolled back into his head._

_Renji smirked at the power he felt and at the same time in the back of his mind he asked Rukia for forgiveness._

Renji scowled, he never should have joined that gang. He started to growl in the back of his throat; he left Gocha-Suru after three years. He killed many, kidnapped many, and left many to grieve; but the ultimate crime he could have committed was joining Gocha-Suru and then deserting it. He knew that he was most likely going to die at the end of a gun, there was no hope of denying it; they will chase him down and ensure that he would never speak of the gang's whereabouts or secrets. He knew because he killed many traitors such as himself.

He was about to go outside to look for Rukia himself, when he heard the familiar footsteps and saw her figure in the windowsill.

"Thank God," Renji softly said to himself as he couldn't help, but be relieved to see her. Rukia in return walked over to Renji and thrusted food into his arms, "What the fuck Rukia, where have you b—"

"I was out," Rukia softly smiled.

"Out? Out is at least three hours, but you were gone for three days!" Renji glared at the girl in front of him, "Where have you b—"

"Nowhere really, or I mean, everywhere I guess," Rukia said absentmindedly.

Renji's eyebrow rose as he looked at the girl in front of him, "What's with you?"

"What?"

"You're acting all weird," Renji couldn't help but be annoyed.

"Nothing's the matter with me… anyways I am going," Rukia said as she started heading towards the windowsill.

Renji watched her leave and said softly to himself, "Nothing's the matter with you, no wonder you're acting so weird."

* * *

Rukia slowly walked to the hotel, she didn't want to ruin the good mood that she currently was feeling. The past three days at the Kurosaki's household was something she never felt before. Every morning she woke up in a bed that was too soft to be real and every moment she was surrounded by people who didn't look at her like a flea-ridden rat. Honestly, she had to admit that it was nice.

Isshin knew about Aizen's control over her life and much to her surprise didn't judge her. Instead he called her his 'third daughter' and told her that he would be there whenever she needed it. Not that should would ever ask him for help, she already imposed too much on him, and didn't want to drag him or his family down into the dark life of Tokyo.

Before she left the Kurosaki home, the last thing he said to her was when she was alone in the hospital room and he was checking her wounds.

"_Give me time."_

_Rukia's eyebrow shot up and her face was nothing short of confusion, "Time for what?"_

"_I'll solve this dilemma with Aizen and you."_

"_What do you mean," Rukia was honestly confused as she watched the middle-aged man in front of her._

"_I'll get you out of this business," Isshin widely grinned at her._

"_Please don't," Rukia softly answered back._

"_You can't tell me, that you actually like doing that stuff?"_

"_No it's not that, it's just—"Rukia stayed silent trying to gather her thoughts into a plausible sentence, "it's just that, if you continue to associate yourself with Aizen you and your entire family will become dragged down. It's just better to stay out of his way and look the other way."_

_Isshin frowned and scratched his stubbly beard at hearing this, he then stretched his arms and replied, "Well, it seems as if someone from my family is already dragged into this, so I can't see any other way out, but to go in fighting," saying this he imitated a boxer and threw a few punched at his imaginary foe._

_Rukia couldn't help but ask, concern evident in her voice "Who's been dragged into this?"_

"_You." Isshin smiled as he place a hand on her head and ruffled her hair._

Rukia softly smiled at this being a part of a family was everything she dreamed of, but she was already a part of a family, Renji's family—and having two families would be too selfish of her. She walked the hall towards the familiar hotel room which she hated. Right now she had to focus on Renji and making sure that he would survive. Focusing on herself and her desires were too selfish.

* * *

Hi, all my loyal readers! I am sorry about not updating as soon as possible, just never found the time. Yep, that's a bad excuse, but I am keeping it, and don't worry about my updating! I am going to write this story until the end!

Read, Review, and Enjoy!

Hayden Days


	7. Round About Tears

The Junk Industry Blues

Chapter 7: Round About Tears

* * *

Ichigo hated the rain. The rain hated Ichigo. And through a mutual understanding they hated one another. It was how Ichigo's world worked, when it rained it would always be a horrible day. No matter what. And this day was no exception.

The day started off crappy, Ichigo woke up to a foot against his head and an exuberant Isshin screaming that the gods above were taking a shower. It took only a moment for Ichigo to realize that it was raining and that his father was a dumbass. The former was as obvious as the latter, when he heard the drops of rain interrupt him in his dreams.

At school, he got into another fight over an argument that was completely ridiculous—his hair. Long story short, the boy was sent home with a black eye and a few broken ribs and Ichigo came home with no injuries and a note from one of his teachers.

"What am I? In preschool?" Ichigo snorted.

Nonetheless, the paper was instantly crumpled and thrown into the gutter, drenched by the rain and the sewer. Shortly after the note was thrown, a bus passed by Ichigo on the street and sent a tidal wave of mud… on him.

And now it was the night and he couldn't sleep. The sound of rain landing on the roof seemed to taunt him. Whispering words of doubt, failure, and insults in his ears.

_You couldn't…_

Ichigo groaned and rolled on his side, he faced his alarm clock and it winked 12:34 at him. Ichigo scowled and muttered, "Fuck."

_You wouldn't…_

Ichigo snarled at the rain and sent invisible daggers at his ceiling, hoping that it would pass through the barrier and strike the rain before it could make contact with the world. He silently cursed the clouds that brought such a 'blessed' gift.

_You didn't…_

"Gah," Ichigo yelled in frustration as he yanked his pillow from under his head and pulled it over his face.

_And now…_

Ichigo's head rolled to the side and his eyes landed on the framed photo that was being lit by the dim flashing glow of his alarm clock. He felt his eyes softern immediately as his eyes never left _her_ face.

_she's gone…_

"Will you shut the fuck up!" Ichigo yelled at his ceiling and threw his pillow at the fiend.

Almost as if scared, the rain stopped and Ichigo smirked. He won this battle. His gaze returned to the photo as the alarm clock winked 12:36.

"I haven't seen mom in awhile," Ichigo mused to himself, "and since I'm already awake…"

With that he quickly jumped out of his bed, found his discarded jeans on his floor, and quickly stepped into them. He pulled a sweatshirt over his head and walked out of his room. He thrusted his hands into his pockets and quickly stepped down the stairs. He was instantly greeted by a loud bear-like snore.

His eyes narrowed at his father's draped limbs over the couch. Ichigo glared at Isshin's sleeping form, who in return twitched his foot and allow a stream of drool to travel down his stubbled chin.

"I'm going out," Ichigo grunted as he turned to leave.

"M'kaaay," Isshin's sleeping voice drawled, "take the money on—" he snored, "—the banister."

Ichigo stopped and his eyebrow rose, "What?"

He looked over at Isshin, who was now sleeping on his stomach with his butt in the air. Isshin slurped the stream of saliva that was slowly dripping off of his chin and onto his hand. Ichigo snorted and looked over to the banister to see money neatly placed on top of it. His eyes quickly darted to his father, then the money, then his father again.

Isshin farted.

Ichigo scowled and ran a tired hand over his face, then he massaged his eyes. After a moment to let his irritation leave his body with every breath he took, Ichigo took the money and shoved it deep into his pocket as he walked out of his house.

Little did Ichigo know that when he walked out of his house, Isshin opened one of his eyes and a wide goofy smile broke out onto his face. He lifted himself from the couch and stretched his arms over his head. He ran a hand over his stubble, the smile still lingering on his face, "Say hi for me."

The cold air filled Ichigo's lungs instantly. He cracked his neck and started walking through the barren streets. The sound of his footsteps were slightly muffled on the wet pavement and it irritated him, a constant reminder of the rain. As if to mock him, the sickingly sweet smell of rain filled his nostrils.

His mind was frozen while thoughts tried to whisper in his ears, but he quickly ignored them. It was better this way, walking in a daze, not caring where he was going. It was a reoccurring theme when it rained. He would walk around aimlessly when the rain stopped, it both calmed and irritated him at the same time… if that was even possible. Although this time was different, this time he had a destination. And all that mattered was getting there.

He felt a drop of moisture pierce his cheek and he jolted and froze. He stared up at the cloudy night sky, filled with the pregnant clouds he had come to hate. Rain started pouring down heavier than any of the other times during the day. He scowled, "Yeah, fuck you too."

* * *

Rukia and Renji stared out of the window while nibbling on a slice of bread.

"Shit, it's raining hard," Renji observed while taking a bite from the bread.

"You're telling me," Rukia sarcastically replied and smirked at Renji.

Rain was always a debatable subject for the two. It meant different things for each. For Renji, it brought memories of splashing in the puddles with the old gang of kids and Rukia watching them with a small smile. For Rukia, it brought memories of shivering in a soaked cardboard box and the top suddenly caving in, her supposed shelter drenching her with the piercing cold wetness. Nonetheless, the rain was a very debatable subject between the two.

"At least we're dry," Rukia said with pursed lips.

"Does it really matter," Renji's tattooed eyebrows furrowed.

Rukia's eyes narrowed and she turned to Renji and snorted a very unlady-like snort.

"Yes—" she said matter-of-factly, "—would you rather be dry and comfortable or wet and shivering?"

"Doesn't matter," Renji declared softly looking at Rukia from the corner of his eyes.

"Why should it not matter," Rukia glared at Renji.

"Cause we would be together and that's all that should matter," Renji smirked.

Rukia scoffed, but shortly smiled afterward, "You're an idiot." He was completely right though. He was her family and she was his. And in the end that was all that mattered.

His voice broke the moment of silence, "You've changed."

Rukia's eyebrows raised and she nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "Wha—"

"You seem more lively," Renji interrupted nonchalantly, "it's nice."

Rukia drew in a sharp take of breath and chewed on the inside of her cheek. Was she really more lively? Was that even possible? She never really knew how that felt… being alive. It even sounded foreign as she rolled the word around her dry swollen tongue.

"Is that so," Rukia finally replied after moments of silence. Alive… somehow it sounded nice.

"Rukia," Renji noticed Rukia's sudden shift of moods, "—I didn't mean it to sound bad or anything. I just meant that—"

"It's okay, Renji," Rukia interrupted, her eyes softened at her friend, "I just have to… I have to think."

And with that she crawled out of the window, onto the fire escape, and into the rain.

Renji's eyes never left the retreating form of Rukia until she was out of sight.

Rukia pulled her thin, faded jacket closer to her torso. It was three time's bigger than what she should wear, but that's alright. It provide some sense of warmth, even if it was a false sense.

Was it really alright to feel alive? Somehow, Rukia didn't feel worthy of such a feeling. Like a criminal wearing the king's clothes, she was beneath such a feeling.

A voice broke her thoughtful walking and she quickly turned on the heel of her foot. Her eyes instantly widened when she saw a figure run towards her, shouting her name. She did what she really only knew how to do, she turned around and ran.

* * *

Ichigo stared at the sky and the sky stared back. The rain pelted his frozen face, but he didn't care… not now, not in this moment in his shower of shame and guilt. The rain pelted him with feelings so raw and so intense, that he couldn't help take deep heavy breaths. His opened eyes were stinging from the drops of water.

"Rukia!" a voice broke him from his thoughts and his head snapped to its owner. His eyes narrowed as he tried to pierce through the curtain of water. They instantly widened when he saw a black haired man running towards a petite girl, who in return turned and ran. His blood ran cold when he saw who the girl was, he gasped, "Rukia."

His feet quickly took flight.

* * *

Rukia quickly ran, her heart pounding in her ears, and her feet pounding on the wet pavement. Occasionally slipping, Rukia's throat burned and she gasped desperately for air.

"Right." She commanded her body quietly through clenched teeth as she sharply turned right. She knew who was chasing her and she knew that it wouldn't be good.

"_Rukia meet my comrade," Renji thrusted a thumb behind him to a black shaggy haired man with a tattoo of a 69 on his face. The man standing behind Renji smirked at Rukia. _

_Rukia instantly knew what "comrade" meant. He was a part of them, a part of that gang, she instantly swallowed the oncoming saliva as it rose in her throat. _

"_Name's Shuuhei Hisagi," he grinned a loop sided grin and reached out a hand to shake hers. Rukia stared at the hand and blinked at it before she accepted _it_. She softly replied, "Rukia."_

Her head was filled with thoughts that only terrified her and made her run faster. Adrenaline pumping through her blood, she grunted as she willed her legs to increase their pace.

"Does he want to know where Renji is?" she cried in her head, that thought kept repeating itself as she turned another corner.

"_Where is he Rukia?" he caged her in between his arms against the cold wall of a building._

"_Wh-Who are you talking about?" Rukia couldn't help but stutter after noticing the murderous glint in her eyes._

"_You know who I am talking about," he snarled, but after a moment of noticing the blank stare in Rukia's eyes he added, "Renji."_

_Rukia's body jerked and it tensed against the wall, she looked down at the pavement and choked while she asked, "Wh-What happened to him."_

_He punched the wall next to Rukia and snarled against her ears, "He fucking deserted us."_

_She couldn't help but flinch in response. He was still alive and that made Rukia feel an odd sense of relief wash over her despite her current situation. She would never tell him were Renji was, even if she knew. She would rather die than tell the man before her the whereabouts of Renji. He repeated himself, she looked up into Shuuhei's eyes and answered truthfully in a monotone voice, "I don't know."_

Rukia didn't know whether it was the rain or the thoughts of what happened next, but she shuddered.

"_I do."_

_The voice rang out and stopped Rukia's heart as her wide eyes searched to see the owner of the voice. Shuuhei's arms instantly returned to his side and he bowed towards the owner. The owner of the voice was a smiling brown haired man with glasses in a business suit. Rukia licked her chapped lips and faced the man who slowly walked towards her, followed by another man who had a smile wider than the firsts and closed eyes that seemed to mock her. She inwardly shuddered and took a step back._

"_Follow me."_

_Rukia flinched at the voice, it was sickeningly sweet and kind, but held such venom and malice. Rukia couldn't move as the brown haired man's eyes never left her._

That was the first time Rukia saw Aizen. She turned into an alley and cursed when she noticed that it was a dead end, "Shit."

She looked left and right trying to find a way to escape. Her eyes found nothing, no fire escape, no doors, absolutely nothing besides a few trash cans that were on the side one of the buildings.

She heard the footsteps of her chaser get closer and she turned sharply on her foot, her panted breaths forming in the air.

Shuuhei finally turned the corner and stopped as his eyes landed on the glaring woman before him. His panted breaths filled the air and Rukia took a defensive step back.

"Rukia," Shuuhei finally spoke breaking the tension that was thickening in the air.

"What do you want," she replied harshly. Her eyes narrowed, but she took another step back, her body betraying the mask her face was forming. Her heart pounded so loudly in her ears that she could barely hear him reply, "I need Renji."

His eyes were laced with something that Rukia couldn't decipher. She glared at him and coldly replied, "He's dead."

"The hell he is! I know you're lying," Shuuhei glared and ran a tired hand through his dark hair.

"You don't know me enough to know whether I am lying or not."

"Doesn't matter," Shuuhei muttered, "just tell me where the fuck he is!"

Rukia's eyes narrowed and she growled deep in her throat, "Over my dead body."

"Dammit Rukia," Shuuhei's voice shrieked and echoed in the alley, she took another step back. Rukia suddenly was able to read his eyes. They were desperate. She knew what desperation can make a person do, she knew all too well. She started to walk backwards, until her back connected to the wall. He started walking towards her as he reached his hands to touch her, "Listen, I need—"

"You better step the fuck back," came a growled voice from behind them. Shuuhei in return glanced behind his back and snarled, "This doesn't concern you."

"It does when it involves _her_."

"What," Rukia peeked her head around Shuuhei and her eyes instantly widened when she saw Ichigo. He had his hands deep in his pockets and a look on his face that could kill a man.

"Ichigo," her heart started to pound harder than it did before and she realized that Shuuhei was walking towards Ichigo with the same murderous look.

"Shit," Rukia thought as she licked her lips, "Shuuhei is going to kill him."

"Ichigo," Rukia's voice was filled with panic as amber eyes met violet, "run! Run you idiot!"

Ichigo smirked as he said two words that made Rukia smile in disbelief, "Hell. No."

Shuuhei's fists suddenly came at Ichigo as Ichigo dodge every blow with his hands still in his pockets. The two of them looked as if they were in a strange contorted dance.

"That idiot," Rukia thought to herself as she desperately searched for something—_anything _that she could do.

"Shuuhei!" her voice was laced with desperation, "Stop this! He doesn't matter, you're business is with me!"

Ichigo glared at Rukia and growled, "The hell it is!" He finally released his hands from his pockets and it was Shuuhei's turn to dodge the punches, which he wasn't doing as well as Ichigo did.

Rukia bit her lip and felt powerless, she hated feeling powerless. All she could do was watch as Ichigo landed blow after blow on Shuuhei. She heard a continuous pang and she quickly snapped her head and saw that the noise was coming from the rain dropping on the trashcan. Her mouth instantly turned into a small smile as realization hit her, "I can do something."

Ichigo's fist connected to Shuuhei's chin and Shuuhei stumbled back and wiped off the blood with the back of his hand, "You bastard."

Ichigo smirked and replied, "I was going to say the same thing about you."

Shuuhei's eyes narrowed as he reached into his jacket, obviously tired of fighting, he pulled out a gun and pointed it at Ichigo. Ichigo snarled as Shuuhei smirked and said, "Say goodbye, you mother fu—"

Shuuhei stopped and his mouth opened as he stumbled forward and collapsed on the wet pavement.

Ichigo's face was full of pure astonishment as he looked down at the fallen man before him, "What the fuck?"

He instantly looked at Rukia who was breathing heavily her fingers clutching a garbage can lid. He pointed to the lid, "Did you—"

"Yes."

"With the—"

"Yes."

Ichigo quickly looked down and his eyes narrowed as he spotted the gun. Ichigo bent over and picked the discarded weapon, he scowled at it in disgust. He looked over at Rukia who threw the garbage lid to the side. He breathed in a deep breath of cold air when he noticed a dent the size of a human head on the lid.

"Who's this goon," Ichigo asked Rukia as he ran a hand through his hair.

"An old _friend_," Rukia said the word "friend" with disgust.

"Really," doubt in his voice, "didn't seem so friendly to me." He turned Shuuhei over with his foot.

"Yeah," was all that Rukia could mutter, shame sinking into her stomach. She tried to decide what would be the best thing to tell Ichigo. The truth?—No, she didn't want to ruin him with something so horrible. She ran her tongue over the dry roof of her mouth as she contemplated what she should say next.

Ichigo didn't give her a chance to say anything, though. He watched Rukia through concerned eyes as she stared at the ground and said, "Come on, let's get out of this place."

Rukia merely nodded her head and waited for Ichigo to turn around and slowly start walking before she swallowed her building saliva and started following him. She passed by Shuuhei's body and didn't look down. She heard a muffled groan and felt a cold pressure wrap around her ankle, she instantly froze in her place and looked down at the disturbance. She let out a strangle gasp that Ichigo instantly heard and turned around, he say Shuuhei's hand wrapped around Rukia's ankle.

"You bastard! Let go of her," Ichigo's heart thumped in rage.

Rukia studied Shuuhei's face as it squeezed in pain and she only felt pity for him.

"Let go of me," she said softly, the pity becoming overbearing for her. Shuuhei's grip only tightened.

"You heard her," Ichigo's gruff voice came and Rukia looked up to see him scowling down at Shuuhei.

"Ru-Rukia," Shuuhei stuttered, his eyes looking blankly at the crying sky. Then he said something that terrified her the most that night, "I'm leaving."

* * *

Thank you all for taking the time to read this! I really enjoyed writing this chapter! I want to thank everyone who took the time to review this story which I didn't really think that people were going to like considering the circumstances and the situations... and all. To those who review more than once like **Chappy9**, **LovemeRouge**, **rukia death kuchiki**, **Nel Tu**, **Jeschura**, **ScarlettLunaNinja**, **TheWinterEclispe**, **-AnGeLiCaNiMeKiTtY-**, **Kannabisu, RinUtari, **and **marislily **extra thanks to you guys. It's people like you guys that keep me pumping and writing!

Enough with the thanks, so the story continues on! Que the dramatic music please! I really wanted to include how Rukia got into her situation, so I hope that I didn't dissapoint!

Important: This chapter was really inspired by songs sung by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn for Silent Hill, especially the Homecoming game. The songs are so dark and hopeful that I actually put on "Soldier's Orders" Alex's theme on repeat while writing this chapter, 3 hours of that song and I am still not sick of it! Just thought that I should give credit to my current muse!

I really recommend the song, it's really beautiful and has a dark undertone to it. It's long though, so don't listen if you aren't patient. But you would have to be patient if you have been waiting for this update so... I encourage you!--Go listen to it!

Read, Review, and Enjoy!

Hayden Days


	8. Embrace Your Hell

The Junk Industry Blues

Chapter 8: Embrace Your Hell

* * *

It was as if God was taunting her, torturing her with each passing second. She felt so light that if the wind blew she knew that she would tumble over. Her chapped lips were being crushed by her gnawing teeth.

After a heavy silence with only the sound of rain daring to make its presence known, Rukia chuckled softly to herself and clenched her eyes shut.

"What," her voice fluctuated between the tones of a whisper and a screech.

Shuuhei lifted himself from the ground in the next passing moments and he softly looked at the stiff Rukia.

He sighed as he recalled their past. He knew that he deserved an ass kicking, hell he wanted to get beaten so badly that he would have to live in a vegetable state forever. Never see the light of day—anything to get rid of this guilt that had been plaguing him for what seemed like ever. He was happy that that orange headed boy was able to land a few punches on him and Rukia made him see the stars with the trashcan lid. In fact, he noted to himself to thank them both.

"I'm leavi—"

Rukia grabbed his shirt and slammed him against the closest wall as she snarled, "I thought that was what you said!"

Shuuhei looked into Rukia's blazing eyes and felt his heart lunge at what he saw. Hurt, distress, betrayal, confusion, but what surprised him the most was what he could only decipher as concern. Rukia felt her body burn with rage as she held the man before her against the wall.

They were going to kill him, they were going to drag those around him that weren't involved with the gang down with him. Somehow, through all her murderous thoughts she was scared for him, he might be an ass but the ones he loved don't deserve her _fate_.

In the end, she could only say what was screaming the most prominent in her mind, "You… fucking—"

Shuuhei cringed.

"hypocrite."

Ichigo watched the intense scene before him. He had seen Rukia mad, but this was a side of her that he had never seen. Albeit he had only known her for a short time, he instantly knew that this type of rage was foreign to Rukia as she seemed unable to process her feelings let alone her actions. She was unsure of herself; her mind was battling with itself making her entire body shake violently.

Rukia's voice betrayed her body as her mind continued screaming different things simultaneously at her and she repeated stonily, "You fucking hypocrite."

God was definitely taunting her, if not then why was Shuuhei before her? Why was he talking to her about deserting? Why would he have to rub everything in her face?—as if he was some sort of untouchable force that can do whatever the hell pleased him. Renji wasn't allowed to desert, but Shuuhei suddenly decides to do the same action that he condemned Renji for?—and now it was alright? Was it alright? Who knows…?

Shuuhei's eyes searched her face, there were so many emotions that flashed that he became dizzy trying to read her. At one moment it seemed as if she was about to kill him, then the next cry. It was too much for Shuuhei, he tortured the girl before him too much to put her through another second of this hell, "Rukia."

Her fingers clenched his shirt tighter, she knew what he was going to do and she didn't want it.

"Don't…" her voice was dangerous and low.

"I'm," Shuuhei trailed as he let his guilt wash over him, "sorry."

Rukia snorted and started chuckling again. Yep, God wanted to watch her suffer. Her chuckling started to become harder and her shoulders were now shaking not with rage but with laughter.

This was a joke, right? It was like some sort of twisted nightmare where she was the spotlight victim. Screw all other people; let's just fuck with this girl to see if she loses it. Hell, even if it is her dream let's see if she screams when you pour burning oil on her. Hey, how about seeing if she likes it when you stab her!

Now how can she hate him? She groaned inwardly, obviously he was "sorry". Rukia snorted through her nose as her mood swings were battling one another to see who would become victorious and show up on her face. Hate or forgiveness? Contempt or rage? How about revenge? That seemed like a good option.

Shuuhei then saw something that confused and terrified him at the same time; Rukia looked up at him and smiled.

"Sorry won't take anything back," her voice was drenched is sweet sickness, "now will it?"

"Ru—"

"Will it?" She screamed into his face. She brought one of her hands back to slap him, it stopped in mid-slap as her other hand slowly let go of Shuuhei's shirt. Shuuhei looked up at Rukia to see her looking at Ichigo.

"Rukia," his voice was soft and warm as his hand never left her shoulder, "this piece of shit ain't worth it."

Rukia swallowed against her dry mouth and she brought both of her hands down limply at her side, "You're right."

It felt as if she was going to faint, she wanted to vomit, scream do anything to get rid of the suffocating feeling of confusion, rage, whatever it was. All it took was Ichigo to place his hand on her shoulder to make her feel a welcoming sense of calm that was now overwhelming her rage.

"Let's go," those two words were music to Rukia's ringing ears and she nodded her head and placed her hand in Ichigo's outstretched hand. Its warmth reminded her of her numb and stinging body compliments from the rain. They started walking Ichigo leading Rukia, but before they left the alley she stopped abruptly making Ichigo jolt, "Wh—"

Rukia looked over her shoulder at Shuuhei who was staring at the ground, "Shuuhei—"

He looked up at her.

"Don't leave. It will hurt the ones you love."

Shuuhei could only look at the retreating teens' backs. He smiled and looked up at the falling rain, "I have no one I love, but I'm gonna make it up to ya'."

He looked back at their retreating backs, "Promise."

* * *

Ichigo knew where he was going and dammit after this hell of a night he was more determined to go now more than ever. He softly tightened his grip on Rukia's hand and increased his speed. His long strides were followed by short jogging steps, but he didn't care. He just wanted to leave this suffocating atmosphere before he turned back and kicked that bastard's ass again until Ichigo had the satisfaction of seeing blood came out of his ears. Yeah, that would be satisfying.

Whatever happened between Rukia and him pissed Ichigo off. He was confused, but that confusion wouldn't stop Ichigo from feeling rage for Rukia's pain. It was as if Rukia's rage transitioned to Ichigo through their hands, he was somewhat glad of that though. He could handle those types of feelings. He didn't want Rukia to go through them. He knew that if Rukia slapped Shuuhei out of such powerful fit of rage then she would hate herself for losing control over her emotions. She didn't need that.

He growled at the thought of what ever happened between Rukia and the asshole, which he so lovingly dubbed, to produce such hatred. Various scenarios played through his mind and he let out another growl.

He stopped as he let his surroundings sink in. They were close. He let Rukia rest for a moment as she softly panted and looked at Ichigo, obviously worn out from the events of that night.

"I hate this city."

Rukia nodded at Ichigo's statement and replied, "Me too."

"I know." Rukia looked up to see Ichigo smirking playfully at her and her brows furrowed in confusion.

"So we're going to take a little vacation," Ichigo didn't bother to see her expression as he grabbed her hand again and started walking quicker than before.

"Wait what?" Rukia said as she jogged after the leading carrot.

"Are you stupid," Ichigo glanced over his shoulder at Rukia and his eyebrow shot up playfully, "I said vacation."

"But wait," Rukia retorted, her mind swimming with thoughts of what vacations were supposed to be. Didn't you usually go to some ridiculously over priced place and take lots of pictures? At least that's what advertisements usually showed. That and pink flowered shirts accompanied by a straw hat.

"Shudup," Ichigo called back, "we'll be back sometime near noon. Don't worry."

And with that Rukia's mind filled with vacations went silent and pondered this simple command. Don't worry… she never stopped worrying for a moment in her life. Hell, she couldn't stop worrying about worrying. Did she worry too much? It wasn't as if she would call herself a worrier, but she never could afford the luxury of peace of mind. Worrying, as far as she was concerned, was the only way to survive. If you worry then that meant that you cared about yourself and those around you. It meant that you were alive.

Ichigo stopped and Rukia blinked as she let her surroundings sink in. His hand left her hand and she instantly missed its warmth.

"Two for Karakura Town," Ichigo snorted as he placed money on the counter to the sleepy eyed man.

The man in return took the money and handed him the tickets and the change, "The bus will be here in ten minutes."

Ichigo turned on his heel to Rukia and smirked as she processed the information.

"Karakura Town?" Rukia tilted her head in confusion, "What's there?"

"My hometown," Ichigo said as he poked her forehead, he then walked off to the nearest bench leaving a stunned Rukia behind.

"Hometown?" Rukia mused to herself as she slowly made her way to Ichigo and sat down next to him.

They didn't speak a word to each other even while the bus slowly rolled its way to the curb in front of them, they remained silent. It wasn't suffocating or awkward, they were just comfortable enjoying one another's presence. They quickly got onto the bus and Ichigo lead the way to the back seat. He sat next to the window and Rukia sat next to him.

They were the only ones on the bus besides the driver who was gently humming to himself and glancing back at them through the rearview mirror and smirking. Ichigo sighed and he felt strangely calm as he watched the trails of gathered rain roll down the window. Usually his mind would never stop racing with stupid thoughts that would always fill him with panic whenever it rained, but he felt completely content.

He stole a glance at Rukia from the corner of his eyes and smirked when he saw her eyes closed and her chest slowly rising up and down. He couldn't blame her, Rukia had one chaotic night. That was why he instantly knew that he had to take her away from the city, if only for a moment. That place gave him the impression that it constantly reminded Rukia of something she didn't want to remember.

His mind instantly stopped and his heart stopped momentarily when he heard a small whimper next to him. His eyes instantly returned to Rukia and narrowed while he searched her face for the cause of the whimper. He scowled when he realized that it was caused from a dream, and then scowled and mentally punched himself for getting worried over a little whimper.

He was never one to worry this much over a girl that wasn't one of his sisters. It must be because she was as tall as them… or… that she still owed him money over that freaking Yakitori.

"Yep, it's must be the money…" he assured himself with a nod of the head.

He looked over again at Rukia, who in returned turned over in her sleep and wrapped her arms around an astonished Ichigo's arm. She nuzzled her head into his shoulder and sighed a breath of content. Ichigo scowled, rested his head in his free hand, and looked out of the window. His cheeks tinted pink, he muttered to himself, "I'll let the money slide, Midget."

* * *

"We're here," the bus driver singsonged as he smiled at the teens through his rearview mirror which Ichigo wanted to break. How can someone be so perky from lack of sleep?

Rukia's eyes snapped opened and she released her hold of Ichigo's arm without noticing their position. She quickly stretched her arms above her head and looked out of the windows only to pout, "It's still raining!"

"Nice observation there," Ichigo drawled sarcastically.

Rukia decided to ignore that comment and quickly shot up from her seat and ran out of the bus. Ichigo sighed as he slowly walked down the bus aisle and pass the driver who smiled and flashed him a thumbs up.

"Saw you two back there, I approve."

"I don't need your approval," Ichigo glared as he said without thinking. He started walking down the steps, but instantly froze in mid-step, "Wait a minute, if you think we're together then you're crazy!"

The bus driver smile grew wider as he drew a heart in the air while saying, "You can't deny the chemistry!"

"What are you?—my father?" Ichigo shrieked a very un-Ichigo-like shriek his eyes practically bulging out of his sockets.

The bus driver just blinked then said in a matter-of-fact tone, "I'm a bus driver."

"What the hell?—I know that! I am not retarded!" Ichigo's scowl could have rivaled all other scowls at that moment for being the scowliest.

"Ichigo, quit yelling at the bus driver," Rukia sighed as she grabbed the back of Ichigo's shirt and yanked him off of the bus while the bus driver called out to them, "Have fun!"

Ichigo shook a fist at the bus driver in frustration as he drove off and Rukia released her hold of his shirt.

"Jeez, must you embarrass me everywhere we go," Rukia asked as she dusted the imaginary dust off her hands.

"The only one embarrassed is me for being followed around by a dwarf all day," Ichigo brows clenched tightly together.

"Me following you?" Rukia's voice was a mixture between false disbelief and surprise, "says the one who dragged me here."

Point for Rukia, Ichigo lost the score of this constant bickering game. He scowled as he thrusted his hands in his jeans and lamely retorted, "Shudup."

He started walking away, knowing that Rukia would follow him when he froze and turned around to look at Rukia with skeptical eyes, "You didn't hear what we were talking about, did you?"

"Nope, why?"

"No reason," Ichigo snapped quickly and continued walking, hoping that she wouldn't ask any questions about his and the bus driver's previous argument.

"Where are we going," Rukia glanced at Ichigo from the corner of her eyes.

"To see someone from my family," Ichigo answered emotionlessly.

Rukia's mouth formed an 'o' and she continued to follow Ichigo blindly. After a few more moments of silence, Rukia said, "This must be a nice place to grow up in."

"Yeah," Ichigo said while sighing, "the people here are nothing like the ones in Tokyo."

Rukia could only answer with an "hmm" in agreement. She then took a moment to let the surroundings sink in, from what she could tell it was early morning although it was hard to decipher what time exactly because of the murky rain filled clouds that "graced" the sky. Karakura gave a feeling of peace, the streets weren't filled with cars and the sidewalks were empty and not filled with chaos. She knew instantly that she liked it here.

Rukia then noticed that they stopped in front of a gate and saw what laid behind it, "A cemetery?"

"Yep," Ichigo said as he held the gate open for Rukia.

Ichigo then continued walking with a trailing Rukia who was watching his back carefully. After what seemed like forever, he stopped in front of one grave and looked down at the gravestone erected for the person. Rukia joined his side and read the gravestone breathlessly, "Kurosaki Masaki."

Ichigo eyes never left the marker, "My mom."

Rukia swallowed oncoming saliva and looked up at Ichigo's face which was unreadable, she finally softly said, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Ichigo replied nonchalantly.

Rukia stayed silently as she looked at the grave through solemn eyes. She never knew her mother or anyone that could even amount to a mother figure, maybe Oba-chan could be considered one. Although that old woman died before, Rukia could form any real memories of her. The only thing she had because of that woman was the ability to read and write, which she would be eternally thankful for. But she knew that she would never be able to know the pain of losing one's mother. And somehow she was glad; she had a feeling that it must be one of the hardest things to live through.

"She must have been a great woman," Rukia said with a soft smile.

"How do you figure," Ichigo glanced at her from the corner of his eyes.

"To be able to put up with your father and _you_," Rukia joked softly, "she must have been a saint."

Ichigo chuckled, his eyes glazed with memories, "I still can't believe she ever fell in love with that idiot of a man."

Ichigo abruptly turned on his foot and started walking away from the grave as he sighed, "Come on, you height challenged demon."

Rukia clicked her tongue in disapproval, "Really you need to come up with better insults than that. You would think that my impressive verbal abuse abilities would rub off on a hair product reject such as yourself, but yet again you fail to be original."

Ichigo rolled his eyes and feigned hurt, "You really got me there."

"I'm glad that you finally admit that I am superior to you," Rukia joked with her chin held up.

"You are as superior as a box of cereal," Ichigo drawled enjoying the light banter. Rukia smiled as she continued walking with Ichigo, the comfortable silence made them both glad that for a moment they were in their own little world.

* * *

BAM! Ichiruki is too good for the soul! Sigh, they make me giddy.

For all Shuuhei Hisagi lovers don't fear, he is vital to the story! I decided to make Shuuhei the gang member that 'betrays' Renji and Rukia because to me he just reeks of loyalty to whatever group he belongs to.

Why Ichigo took Rukia to his mom's grave will become clearer in the next chapter.

Read, Review, and Enjoy!

Hayden Days


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